Spring grip latch for automobiles, etc.



June 9,' i925.

F. L. RICHARDSON SPRING GRIP LATCH FOR AUTOMOBILES, ETG

Filed Aug@ 26, 1924 gva/wanton atkoznu Patented June 9, 1925.

UNITED STATES FRANK L. RICHARDSON, F JENA, LOUISIANA.

SPRING GRIP LATCH FOR AUTOMOBILES, ETC.

application inea August ze, 1924. yserali No. 734,307.

T0 all whom t mayv concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK LYR-ionAnvsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jena, in the parish of La Salle, State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful Improvement-s in Spring Grip Latches fon Auto-mobiles, Etc., of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a spring grip latch for automobile doors and various other kinds of closures and the like where a keyless grip latch is desirable.

The object o-f the present invention is to provide a simple7 practical and efficient spring grip latch designed for use o-n automobile doors, barn doors, gates and various other kinds of closures and the like and capable of operation from the interior or exterior by a quick depression of an operating member and also o-f operation by a rotary actuated member and of being locked by the latter in an open position when desired.

It is also the object of the invention to provide a grip vlatch of this character which, when applied to automobile doors and the like, will present a neat and attractive appearance and not be liable to catch the clothes of persons entering or leaving a :"9 machine.

With these and other objects in view, the

invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described illustrated in the accompany drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it beingunderstood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction, within the ,scope of the claims, may be re- 10 sorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1, is a side elevation of a portion of yan automobile body provided with a spring grip latch constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged det-ailelevation of the latch mechanism particularly in section.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the same substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig- 2. n n n l Figure 4 is a detail sectionalview illus- 55. trating the construction ofthe keeper stud and the socket recess of the latch members.

Figure 5 is a detail view showing the socket recesses in the ends of the latch members. 4,

In the accompanying drawing, vin which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of .the invention, tue griplatch comprises in its construction, a pair of upper and lower latch members 1 and 2,'but the latch members while shown in this position in the accompanying drawing, may of course be arranged in any other desired position as will be readily understood. The latch members are provided at an intermediate point with registering ears 3 and 4 through which passes a horizontal ivot pin 5 which is mounted in the door rame 6 and in a bearing of a bracket 7 secured to the door frame at the inner side thereof as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. A pair of spaced ears 3 is provided on one of the members and a central ear 4 projects from the other member and is arranged between the ears 3 as shown. p

The latch members are provided at their outer ends with heads 8 projecting beyond the frame of the door 9 or may be set back even with doo-r frame and lpreferably concealed by a projecting plate 10, located at the outer side faces of the heads 8 of the latch members and adapted to be ornamented and forming a convenient means for receiving the initials of the owner of the car to which the latch is applied. Plate 10 may have a'. slot to insert letters that are already made. The cover plate or portion 10 may be of any configuration and if desired, may consist of an extension of the outer covering of the door. The heads 8 are provided with socket recesses 11, forming a socket for the reception of a headed stud 12, said stud may be made in right angle to fitinside of enclosures, constituting a keeper and preferably secured to a fixed '100 rtion of the body 13 of the automobile y means of an attaching plate 14 and designed to be arranged in a recess 15 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing. rI he socket recesses may be arranged in either side or a socket recess 15 may be provided in the o-uter ends of the heads of the latch members as illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawing. `This will enable the grip latch to be applied to various kinds of doors and also to sliding doors and closures.

The heads of the latch members are maintained in their engaging position in engagement with the keeperrstudi12by means of -a coiled spring 16 interposed between the rear portions or arms of the latch members:

and preferably engaged with projections 17 thereof as shown but any other suitable means may of course. be employed for maintaining the spring in operative position mi' terpose-d between therarms of' the latch menibers and a spring of any desired size, shape and strength may of course be employed. The spring, when the upper latch member is open, will permit the keeper stud to readily disengage itself from the lower latch member and the* said spring will also permit the ready automatic engagement of the latch members with the keeper stud when the door is closed. The recess 11 of the lower latch member has sufficient bevel to enable it t6 be, auton'iatically depressed by the keeper 12 when the head of the upper latch member is raised by one of the ilipcrating devices. This automatic operation of the lower latch member obviates the necessity of manually lifting therinner portion or arm of the same when opening the door.

The gripping latch is operated by inner. and outer depressible operatingrods 18 and 19 and also by a horizontal shaft 20, which extends to the exterior ofthe door and is provided at its outer end witha suitable handle 21 preferably consisting of oppositely extending'operating arms. The inner depressible rod 18, which has its upper portion extending through a suitable guide 22, is provided at its upper end with a relatively small head 23 and it has a laterally extended horizont-al arm 24 at its lower end located above an-d suitablv secured to the upper latch member at 25 as clearly indicated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing. The inner depressible operating rod is sufficiently small and out of the way to avoid anv liability of the clothes of a person accidentally catching on it while entering or leaving the machine. and the upper `end of the operating rod 18 preferablyterminates short of the upper edge of the door 9.

'[he outer operating rod 19 which is guided in the upper portion of the door trame as shown, rests upon the upper face of the arm of the upper latch member and it extends above the car door and is provided at its upper cud with a head 26 which is adapted to be readily depressed from the exterior for operating the latch to open the door. The horizontal shaft 2O is provided with a cam 27 preferably in the form of a disk eccentrically secured to the shaft and arranged to engage the upper face of the arm lof the upper latch member whereby when theshaft 20 is rotated by turning the handle 21, the arm of the latch member 1` will be depressed to disengage the head of the latch member from the keeper stud. This will permit the door to be readily un;

Ylatched from the exterior-by means of thc handle 2l and 'the shaft and the cani arie adapted to maintain the arm of the upper latch member in Ya depressed .oudition against the action of the spring. lVhen the cam 27 is rotated to release the arm of the latch member 1, the spring 16 will operate vto close the head ofthe upper latch member and lower latch members pivoted at an intermediate point and provided with outer heads having recessesV forming a socket adapted to receive a keeper to permit the latch members to engage the same, the inner portions of the latcha members forming arms, a spring interposedv between the arms and adapted to maintain the heads in engagement with the keeper, inner and outer depressible rods arranged to engage one of the said arms for releasing the latch and aY horizontal shaft having a cam located above and arranged to engage an arm of the up. per latch members for operating the same, the lower latch member being 'adapted to be operated automatically by the keeper when the upper latch member is operated to dis-i engage it from the keeper 2. A grip latch comprising a pair of latch members pivoted intermediate of their ends and provided at their outer portions with heads having co-acting recesses forming a keeper receiving socket, a spring interposed between the latch members at the inner side of the pivot thereof, a stop receiving the inner end of one of the latch members and operating means arranged to engage the other latch member for releasing the latch.

3. A grip latch comprising a pair of latch members pivoted intermediate of their ends and provided at their outer portions lwith heads having co-acting recesses forming a keeper receiving socket, a spring interposed between the latch members at the inner side of the pivot thereof, a. stop receiving the inner end of one of the latch members, an

inner operating rod having an arm secured to the other latch member lat the inner portion thereof, an outer operating rod arranged to engage the latch member to which the inner rod is secured and arranged for operation exteriorly of a closure and .a shaft having a cam for engaging the said latch member and provided with an exterior handle.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK L. RICHARDSON. 

